Last chance to have your say on REPS replacement scheme (27th August 2009)

August 27, 2009 at 4:22 pm Leave a comment

Time is running out for farmers and rural dwellers to get involved in a public consultation organised by the Department of Agriculture about a new agri-environment scheme due to come into place in 2010. It will replace the REPs scheme, and will allow landowners to access funding from a range of areas targeting climate change, renewable energies, water management and biodiversity.
The deadline for all submissions from interested parties is September 4th, and details are available on the website www.agriculture.gov.ie.
Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith says the scheme will be funded by additional modulation funds secured through negotiations on the EU’s CAP ‘Health Check’. He added that the system will enable farmers to select options for funding from a ‘menu’ of different actions. Some of the areas likely to be eligible for grants include stone wall maintenance, conservation of wildlife habitats, traditional hay-making and the preservation of endangered breeds of bird and animals.